Homemade syrups

[YetiDave]

Sourdough pancakes are one of my favourite breakfasts (alongside French toast) so I thought I'd try making some syrup rather than going for the expensive shop bought stuff. First try, which turned out pretty damn good, was coffee-cinnamon syrup -

1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup freshly brewed black coffee
1/2 cup water
1 stick of cinnamon

Heat ingredients over a medium heat and stir until the sugar's melted, then reduce heat, simmer for 5 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick and bottle. Could maybe have done with a bit more reduction, but I did pour the syrup whilst it was warm so I've not seen how thick it is once it's cool. Overall it tasted pretty good too! Anyone else made any syrups?

 

[Matt_Bloodletter]

Indeed. One of my favorites is essentially the syrup for Crepes Suzette. Awesome on anything. I also make various fruit syrups. I've done strawberry, blueberry, mixed berry, about any berry.

Quarter stick of butter
Quarter cup sugar
Fresh or frozen berries
Heat with medium heat then simmer at low for about 5 min

Edit - and a squeeze of lemon juice - always need the citrus!

 

[Luke49783]

I've got a big sugar maple in my back yard that I tapped this spring to make maple syrup. My total yield for the season was close to a gallon of syrup, which I canned in 12oz mason jars. I've been spoiled all year having it just sitting in my cupboard.

It's work, but the results are sweet!

 

[YetiDave]

Not sure I could find maple, but we've got birch over here that I could potentially tap... I like the sound of fruit syrups too, I think they'll probably be next

 

[Luke49783]

I've heard that birch makes good syrup as well. I've never tried it, though I'd like to. Sadly I don't have any birch trees in my yard. The process would be the same.

 

[The Knize]

I've got a big sugar maple in my back yard that I tapped this spring to make maple syrup. My total yield for the season was close to a gallon of syrup, which I canned in 12oz mason jars. I've been spoiled all year having it just sitting in my cupboard.

It's work, but the results are sweet!

That is very cool Is there anything better than good pure maple syrup? YMMV <g> My wife is from Vermont and we keep a supply of it. I had not heard of making syrup by tapping birch trees. As I recall, there is no dearth of birch trees in Vermont. I would have thought I would have run into birch syrup.

 

[ouch]

That is very cool Is there anything better than good pure maple syrup?

No.

 

[Luke49783]

That is very cool Is there anything better than good pure maple syrup? YMMV <g> My wife is from Vermont and we keep a supply of it. I had not heard of making syrup by tapping birch trees. As I recall, there is no dearth of birch trees in Vermont. I would have thought I would have run into birch syrup.

I don't think birch syrup is common in places with maple trees due to a lower syrup yield from birch sap (approximately 40-50:1 for maple vs 100-120:1 for birch).

 

[Alacrity59]

I've got a big sugar maple in my back yard that I tapped this spring to make maple syrup. My total yield for the season was close to a gallon of syrup, which I canned in 12oz mason jars. I've been spoiled all year having it just sitting in my cupboard.

It's work, but the results are sweet!

Wow that is a fantastic yield.

 

[Luke49783]

Wow that is a fantastic yield.

I was surprised at how much I ended up with. I've got two more maples that I didn't collect from last year, so I could potentially increase it next year. I boiled in a turkey fryer pot this past year, but I need to find something shallower and wider to make the evaporation process faster if I'm going to try to produce more.

 

[YetiDave]

The place I'm living in at the moment is opposite a large park and I just had a wander through - there's an abundance of silver birch. However I'm going to be away in the Philippines at the only time of year that the sap can be harvested, bugger! Shouldn't complain really